News

Join us on November 13 for the next installment of our climate mental health Learn & Connect series. Drawing on the knowledge of Elders and ancestral teachings, we will reflect on how stress, trauma, and the pace of modern life affect our ability to learn, connect, and thrive. Together, we’ll discuss strategies to move from reactivity to proactive care, and how organizations and communities can reimagine spaces where people not only survive, but flourish.

The NNA-CO, together with the IARPC Secretariat and ARCUS, hosted an information session on September 18 about the Arctic Research Plan and how it is being updated for 2027-2031. Attendees heard from several speakers about the process for updating the five-year national Arctic Research plan, how input can be contributed, what kinds of input IARPC is seeking, as well as upcoming opportunities to participate in focused topic discussions.

The Arctic Data Center (ADC) recently featured the NNA initiative and the NNA Community Office in their collaborator highlight series. Read the blog post to learn more about our work and that of several NNA projects.

The NNA-CO is excited to announce that the 2026 NNA Annual Community Meeting will be held in Fairbanks, Alaska during September 15–17, 2026. While we have hosted our meetings in spring for the past two years, we decided to shift to a different timing next year. In addition to this NNA community gathering, we will also be offering a range of both virtual and smaller in-person gatherings during the months ahead. 

Join us for an engaging conversation exploring the intersection of climate change, mental health, and Indigenous perspectives, featuring two members of the Gen Z Climate Mental Health Network. This interactive session will feature a panel discussion and Q&A with youth voices reflecting on their lived experiences, challenges, and hopes for the future.

The Navigating the New Arctic Community Office is hosting a virtual listening session on September 25 to gather input directly from the NNA community on the planned update to the U.S. National Plan for Arctic Research. The session will outline the process for providing public input, as well as gather attendee input that will be compiled by the NNA-CO and submitted through the federal register. Please note that this event is specifically for the broader NNA community.

If you are interested in being part of the conversation on Arctic research planning or are curious about what the Arctic Research Plan is and how it is being updated for 2027-2031, please join us for an information session on September 18 from 9am-10:30am AKT / 1pm-2:30pm ET. This is your opportunity to learn how the plan guides Federal Arctic research and how you can contribute your input.

On July 21, 2025, the National Science Foundation (NSF) published in the Federal Register a document entitled “Request for Public Comment: National Plan for Arctic Research.” In response to requests by prospective commenters that they would benefit from additional time to adequately consider and respond to the RFI, NSF has determined that an extension of the comment period until Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. (eastern), is appropriate.

During recent weeks, the NNA-CO has seen two of our founding team members take on new exciting roles. James Temte, who has served as the lead of the NNA-CO Community Extension Office at Alaska Pacific University (APU), and Twila Moon, who supported the NNA-CO’s policy-relevant engagement and the Convergence Working Groups, have accepted new positions outside the NNA-CO team. The NNA-CO is extremely grateful for their leadership and for all the heart and passion they have brought into our collective work.

Episode 7 of the Arctic Together Podcast is now available! You can listen to it on our website or anywhere you download your podcasts. Visit the podcast webpage to read the episode show notes.